Journal: Which One Classic Car Event Would You Attend?

Which One Classic Car Event Would You Attend?

By Yoav Gilad
August 10, 2014

Photography by Jonny Shears and Andrew Schneider for Petrolicious

Over the weekend, “car week” began on the Monterey Peninsula, which will play host to the Pebble Beach Concours, the Quail, a Motorsport Gathering, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (aka the Laguna Seca Historics), the Concorso Italiano, countless auctions, and a handful of impromptu shows around the area. Simply put, this is the premier American classic car event of the year. But with so much going on simultaneously, which event should you attend. And this is just one week out of the year and in Monterey, with so many other wonderful vintage automotive events around the globe and calendar, how do you choose?

Granted that geographic proximity plays a large role, but cost and distance no object, would you choose the Goodwood Revival? Or the Concourso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este? Or perhaps Amelia Island (which effectively kicks off the show schedule in March)? With all of the buzz surrounding each of these events it’s tough to pick just one, but that’s what we’re asking you today. Which specific event would you attend (mind you, not a week or group of events)?

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Ted Uziel
Ted Uziel
10 years ago

Just one?
Goodwood Revival

Goodwood FOS is a close 2nd.

Then Monterrey

Ian Miles
Ian Miles
10 years ago

Easy. If the Goodwood Festival of Speed can be called a classic event then that. If not then the Goodwood Revival. Both are the best historic racing events. Each are down to earth, encouraging of visitors being close to the cars and drivers, famous or not. The events are amateur but enthusiastic and in the case of the Revival, most of the visitors also directly particpate by dressing up. The location is spectacular and the other events during the festivals also interesting.

Tim Crighton
Tim Crighton
10 years ago

In the following order and because I like to see them used where possible:
Goodwood Revival
Monaco Historique
Goodwood Members Meeting
Silverstone Classic
Historics at Laguna Seca
Pebble Beach
Classic and Super Cars at Wilton House

Gary Rand
Gary Rand
10 years ago

Retromobile France

Giuseppe Filippone
Giuseppe Filippone
10 years ago

The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA
The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA
The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA
The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA
The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA
The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA
The MONTEREY HISTORICS AT LAGUNA SECA

Have I made myself clear?

D EVAN BEDFORD
10 years ago

http://www.iomtt.com/Classic-TT.aspx

OK, so it’s only 2 wheels. But it’s first on my bucket list.

Otavio Mattana
Otavio Mattana
10 years ago

[list]
Silverstone Classic
Vara
Bonnevile week
Peeble beach concurs d’elegance
[/list]

these are the one that, at least once, I MUST go 🙂

Daniel
Daniel
10 years ago

In this order: Mille Miglia, Monte Carlo Classic Grand Prix, Le Mans 24h Classic.

Brian Havener
Brian Havener
10 years ago

I am going to Legends of the Autobahn and the Laguna Seca Historics on Friday for the 3rd time. I only have Friday, and was also quite tempted to check out the auctions, especially to Bonhams. But I just can’t not go to the Historics. While they do bring some attitude, there are also great people, and a surprising amount of contact with the cars. I had my 5-year old with me one year and was invited to take pictures of her with a McLaren F1 car and a 250 Testarossa within 30 minutes. I would like to experience Silverstone and Goodwood, for sure, and I enjoy my day at Road America every year, but tough to beat the Historics.

Dustin Rittle
Dustin Rittle
10 years ago

I live about 20 miles from Hershey, PA and it has a pretty decent car show ever year. Its not too big not too small and the car guys seem to be pretty friendly to me anyways. But if i was gonna choice the one place I want to visit it would be the the Spa 6 hour classic for sure

Son of stig
Son of stig
10 years ago

im going friday thru sunday

im thinking of doing werks reunion and legends on friday

concourso saturday and then an aston estate even, and pebble on sunday

first time for me, quite excited

Patrick Frawley
Patrick Frawley
10 years ago

The AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix was held at the Nürburgring this past weekend. Just a excess of riches, from MGs to F1 cars, all running hard in the middle of the Eifel Mountains.

https://www.avd.de/ogpracing/english/home.html

Jake Williams
Jake Williams
10 years ago

I would either watch the an of the Group B rally events, Milla Miglia, or the dangerous days of Formula 1 (open cockpit 60’s goodness).

Matt
Matt
10 years ago

The PBC is $300 a ticket and a mess with people. No way. The Monterey Historics would be cool to attend but I doubt you would get much contact with the cars. Would rather a small, intimate venue like Hershey, Radnor, or Americas.

Doug Miller
Doug Miller
10 years ago
Reply to  Matt

I’ve been to the Monterey Motorsports Reunion & there is great access to the cars in the paddock. I was there on a Saturday (i.e., not Sunday, which likely has larger crowds). It was a fantastic experience with plenty of significant cars racing (e.g., Cobra Daytona Coupe, 1 of 6). I highly recommend it.

Matthew Lange
10 years ago

I’ve done Monterey week, Le Mans Classic and I’ve done the Goodwood Revival many times. All are great but the Goodwood Members meeting this year topped al, of them. For a smaller event the Journées d’Automne that Petrolicious covered last year is also hard to beat.

Markus Haub
10 years ago

I have been to Classic Days at Schloss Dyck in Germany two weeks ago. For me its one of the best events, because it combines racing cars, Concours d’Elegance or classic camping and also everybody is invited to join with his classic car and picnic next to it…Goodwood is bigger and Villa d’Este is more exclusive, but this one has a lovely atmosphere! Here are some of the photos I took…
http://www.formfreu.de/2014/08/05/classic-days-schloss-dyck-2014/

Adam Bernard
10 years ago

I agree with TJ regarding ‘none of the above’ and would offer up next Saturday’s Woodward Dream Cruise. Is it loud? Yes. Crowded? Yes. Can you see a huge variety of collectible and classic cars up close and personal? Yes. For the newbie, Woodward Avenue was the first paved road in America, and this event–the single largest one-day automotive event in the world–invites owners to take their hardware out and cruise Woodward. I’ll be out and about with my ’63 Riviera and ’72 Austin Mini. More info on http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com

TJ Martin
TJ Martin
10 years ago

None of the above . Certainly all have wonderful cars to look at . Problem being almost all those cars come with owners having a serious case of attitude * [ e;g; .. all the Do Not Touch-Sneeze – Breath Upon or even so much as look at my car Cross Eyed signs ] and arrogance I personally chose to do without now being a man of a certain age and means

* Attitudinal being my preferred word of choice

My automotive event of choice here in the US ? The Colorado Grand … [ co1000.com ] Fantastic cars * driven hard and their owners either not having an attitude to being with … or at the very least leaving it behind in their garage .

* A couple of years ago’s event had the single largest gathering of Ferrari 250 GTO’s ever

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